Inspiration

At the core of our masterplan is our vision for a liveable and sustainable city, combining the key ingredients of mixed use, density, connectivity, high quality public realm, local character and adaptability. We’ve embraced the best of what we’ve seen around the world to help us create an amazing future for these precincts.

Eindhoven, Netherlands

Eindhoven in the Netherlands, also known as the ‘City of Light’ of the north, is home to approximately 220,000 people and is regarded as the Netherlands’ knowledge city, renowned as a higher-education hub and respected for its emphasis on technology and research and development. The region’s success is underpinned by their “triple helix” approach of connecting utilities, businesses and research institutes to create an environment which fosters innovation and collaboration. Eindhoven has implemented a range of initiatives to develop, foster and increase its knowledge economy and as a result the city has consistently been named as one of the top intelligent communities in the world. Eindhoven is celebrated for its art and culture, and is a gorgeous green city with expansive parks.

Hammarby Sjöstad, Sweden

Formerly an industrial zone and harbour, Hammarby Sjöstad has been magnificently revitalised into a masterpiece of urban redevelopment and sustainable living. The 200 hectare district houses approximately 20,000 people in 9,000 dwellings, provides 200,000 m2 of commercial space, jobs for 10,000 people, and a wide range of educational, cultural and recreational programs. As a sustainable, liveable city, Hammarby Sjöstad works so well because of its urban-scaled density; active spaces created through mixed uses; high levels of investment in infrastructure; an abundance of green public spaces, boulevards, quays and walkways; and multiple modes of transit with an emphasis on reducing car usage. The district also achieved excellent environmental outcomes with a focus on preserving and restoring the existing natural systems. Importantly, Hammarby Sjöstad is the exemplar of balanced “closed-loop urban metabolism” which unifies the infrastructure for energy, water and waste.

Biopolis, Singapore

From quintessentially-modern Singapore, we’ve taken inspiration from Biopolis, an international research and development centre for biomedical sciences. The 18.5 hectare campus houses over 220,000 m2 of research and development space dedicated to government agencies, publicly-funded research institutes and research labs of pharmaceutical and biotechnological companies, along with shops, restaurants, cafes, food courts, child care centres, an auditorium, lecture theatres, meeting rooms, private residences, serviced apartments, hotels and recreational facilities. Importantly, Biopolis is located adjacent to several leading tertiary education facilities which collectively creates an environment that promotes peer review and collaboration among the private and public scientific community.

Masdar City, United Arab Emirates

We’re also grandly inspired by the uber-ambitious Masdar City in the United Arab Emirates. This is the world’s largest arcology project, combining residential, commercial and agricultural facilities to create a densely-populated, self-contained and self-sufficient city. The city will eventually house about 50,000 people on 6 km2, and importantly, the city is virtually car-free. Transport will focus on pedestrians, cyclists, public mass transit and pod car-style personal rapid transit. By eliminating cars, the designers have been able to keep the streets narrow, which creates shade and breezes thus significantly reducing the temperature of the city compared to the surrounding desert.